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Library-archive

The days are getting longer, the air is warmer, the birds are chirpier. The dead of winter is past - and some of us are cleaning up our maple syrup making equipment! The Library has a great book called Sweet Maple - lots of interesting information, fantastic photography, and really good recipes. Try the Maple Brown Bread for a healthy snack! This is a high-quality book put out by the editors of Harrowsmith Magazine. Maple syrup is part of Oakley culture - and we know you will enjoy this book.

This is the story of the Television program a lot of us are addicted to. Set in Yellowknife, North West Territories, where the temperatre frequently goes to a chilly -40C, this story outlines the birth and continuing growth of Buffalo Airlines. Founded by Joe McBryan, this is a family company, with the leading character of Mickey the son. The author tells the story of the Rampies who do so much of the work to keep the planes running and flying, the mechanics, the office staff, and of course Joe himself. Joe's rough edge keeps everything else purring along.

The airplanes are old WW2 C-46 planes which flew during the war, and have now been redesigned and rebuilt to fly the rugged land North of 60. Because of their age many parts have to be manufactured on site in the Buffalo Hanger.

In winter the planes are used to bring supplies to areas with no roads , in summer many water boomers from Buffalo Airways are sent out to fight forest fires.

The author, one of the late editors of Up Here magazine, spent the better part of a year, living with and working with members of the staff of Buffalo Airways, to better understand why anyone would go that far to fly. What he discovered is that while many young folks may graduate from flight schools there are a limited number of jobs available. So many go to places like Buffalo Airways. Work is hard, very hard, and the temperatures can be brutal, but the chance to fly is the greatest challenge and reward they can find.

This book will be available in our Vankoughnet library soon. Relax and enjoy one of the best reads you will ever have

And for those New Year's resolutions - we have a video of Ancient Oriental Exercises - we have no ideas what these exercises are, but it sounds interesting!

PLUS we have a fabulous new book, Historic Roads of Bracebridge, by Gary Denniss. Gary used to teach at Oakley Public School, and in his book he's included all the roads in Oakley Township. There's lots of neat local facts, and many old photos of residents of Vankoughnet. Because this book is so popular, for the next month we're limiting it to use in the Library only - that way everyone can have a chance to browse through it. So you can curl up on one of our comfy couches with it. After that, the book will circulate normally.

We're thinking of getting Gary Denniss to the Village Square to give a talk on our local history - if you're interested, let us know. You'll be able to buy his book then

Want your own copy? Buy it here.

One of the best and most intereting books in our library is "Life of Pi". This is the story of a young man raised in a family where the father is a Zoo Keeper. Pi learns all the tricks to ward off "Big Cats", which become necessary when he is left standed with one of them in a lifeboat after the vessel he is on springs a sudden leak and sinks in the Atlantic Ocean. The vessel was carrying his family and a zoo of animals his father is bringing to Canada. Of all the people and animals on board only Pi , a sixteen year old, a hyena, an orang-utan, a zebra with a broken leg, and a 450 pound Royal Bengal tiger, are saved from a watery grave.

How Pi deals with the animals, and himself, keeps alive for over two hundred days, and uses his abilitiy to improvise is a masterful story.